PECASE: Mechanically Robust Micromechanisms

PECASE：机械稳健的微机械装置

• 批准号: 9875817
• 负责人: Don DeVoe
• 金额: $ 50万
• 依托单位: University of Maryland, College Park
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 1999
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 1999-06-01 至 2005-11-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=9875817&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: PECASE; Mechanically; Robust; Micromechanisms

This CAREER project adopts an integrated research and education strategy centered on the development of mechanically robust three-dimensional mechanisms. By taking advantage of recent developments in silicon-based fabrication, a new approach to the parallel manufacture of mechanically robust spatial micromechanisms has become feasible. Such micromechanisms, with dimensions ranging from several microns to several millimeters, are uniquely capable of coupling macro-scale forces and disturbances to precise micro-scale motions. This effort represents an integrated research and education strategy centered around the development of mechanically robust silicon micromechanisms. The research component of this work focuses on developing a fundamental understanding of the manufacturing and design issues involved in silicon micromechanism fabrication. Novel MEMS processing techniques will be employed to study the design, circuit integration, microactuation, and packaging of silicon micromechanisms. Systems-level issues will be addressed, including VLSI and MEMS integration using focused ion beam manufacturing, powering and sensing techniques, on-chip thermal microactuation, on-chip feedback position control, and packaging of fabricated devices. The educational component of this work will combine research-based education with an industrial outreach program. Specific tasks include undergraduate and graduate-level MEMS courses, an industrial short course on microfabrication, and a multi-user micromechanism foundry service. The development of supporting technologies for spatial silicon micromechanisms represents a significant advance in the field of MEMS. Micromechanisms with six degrees-of-freedom are feasible in the technology, allowing for a greatly extended design space compared to traditional devices. Potential applications include miniature robotics, high-precision medical tools, and arrays of large-displacement actuators for micro-scale manufacturing. The research is expected to extend the current design space for MEMS, and to contribute fundamental advances to micromechanism design and fabrication technology.

该职业项目采用综合研究和教育策略，以开发机械坚固的三维机构为中心。通过利用硅基制造的最新发展，一种并行制造机械稳健的空间微机构的新方法已变得可行。这种尺寸从几微米到几毫米的微观机构具有独特的能力，能够将宏观尺度的力和扰动耦合到精确的微观尺度运动。这项工作代表了一项以开发机械坚固的硅微机械为中心的综合研究和教育战略。这项工作的研究部分重点是对硅微机械制造中涉及的制造和设计问题有一个基本的了解。新型 MEMS 处理技术将用于研究硅微机构的设计、电路集成、微驱动和封装。将解决系统级问题，包括使用聚焦离子束制造的 VLSI 和 MEMS 集成、供电和传感技术、片上热微驱动、片上反馈位置控制以及制造设备的封装。这项工作的教育部分将把基于研究的教育与工业推广计划结合起来。具体任务包括本科和研究生水平的 MEMS 课程、微加工工业短期课程以及多用户微机械铸造服务。 空间硅微机械支撑技术的发展代表了MEMS领域的重大进步。具有六个自由度的微机构在技术上是可行的，与传统设备相比，可以大大扩展设计空间。潜在的应用包括微型机器人、高精度医疗工具以及用于微型制造的大位移执行器阵列。该研究预计将扩展当前 MEMS 的设计空间，并为微机械设计和制造技术做出根本性的进步。